BY JULIE DEARDORFF

Chicago Tribune
By Julie Deardorff


(KRT) - I held my son and cried when he received his first vaccinations. But
my tears weren't over his pain. Instead, I was thinking, "What if vaccines
really do cause autism?"

Most parents fall into two camps when it comes to the complex issue of
childhood immunizations. One group has no idea a controversy is raging over
the mercury-based preservative thimerosal still found in some vaccines. They
dutifully give their babies 21 jabs in the first 18 months of life.

Others have heard just enough to be terrified. We're moms and dads who know
disease prevention must be a collective effort. We never want to see a child
with polio or diphtheria.

Yet we also wonder whether thimerosal, containing about 50 percent ethyl
mercury, is linked to autism, an unproven theory. We wonder why mercury, a
neurotoxin, is still in vaccines, even though government agencies asked that
it be removed several years ago.

But most of all, we wonder: How do I best protect my child?

Mercury exposure from childhood vaccinations more than doubled between 1988
and 1992 as more vaccines were introduced. But no one bothered to calculate
cumulative exposure. When a government researcher finally did in 1999, he
found it exceeded the federal limits.

During the same time period, there was a corresponding spike in reported
cases of autism spectrum disorders, according to David Kirby, author of
"Evidence of Harm" (St. Martin's Press, $26.95), who cites a peer-reviewed
study published in the journal Pediatrics.

Despite no conclusive evidence that thimerosal was harmful, the American
Academy of Pediatrics and the Public Health Service in 1999 called for its
removal.

Today, as a preventive measure, most - but not all - vaccines are
thimerosal-free. Regardless, the government says our children will be safe.
In what was to be the final word on the contentious issue, the prestigious
Institute of Medicine issued a report last May that found no connection
between vaccines and autism.

But the finding only further enraged parents of autistic children. Moms
Against Mercury and nearly a dozen other advocacy groups have planned a
rally for anti-thimerosal legislation in Washington, D.C. Three states have
banned it, and more than 30 others have pending legislation.

Illinois' sweeping Mercury-Free Vaccine Act, currently sitting on Gov. Rod
Blagojevich's desk, would phase out vaccines with mercury by 2008. It's a
logical start; there's no reason to be injecting mercury into babies and
toddlers. But what can parents of low-risk infants do in the meantime?

Ask for thimerosal-free vaccines. "Look at the package insert," said Dr.
Anju Usman, a family practice physician, who treats autism spectrum
disorders using alternative methods. Her Naperville, Ill., practice is
booked through August 2006.

Time it right. Don't vaccinate your child when he's sick or on Antibiotics .
Don't use acetaminophen after a vaccination, because some studies suggest it
inhibits a key detoxification pathway, Usman said.

Consider delaying Hepatitis B vaccine. Your infant probably isn't an IV drug
user or engaging in promiscuous sex. Hep B is given at birth for
convenience.

Skip the flu vaccine. For the first time last year, the government
recommended flu vaccine for children as young as 6 months. The pediatrics
academy expects a shortage of the thimerosal-free flu vaccine for several
years.

Pay attention. Watch your child closely after vaccination and call your
doctor if you suspect a reaction. If your doctor isn't concerned and you
are, go to the emergency room.

Get educated. Learn about the state vaccine requirements, your rights and
legal exemption. You can find a copy of mandatory vaccination laws at the
National Vaccine Information Center (www.nvic.org), a parent-led group that
advocates reforming the mass vaccination system.

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/living/12197178.htm